A rare, stingless bee cultivated by the Maya more than 3,000 years ago may be going extinct in its natural Yucatan Peninsula habitat in Mexico, but a mysterious relocation to Cuba may save its future.

A combination of hurricanes, pesticides and logging is leading to the decline of these unique bees, called Melipona beecheii.

Melipona nest in odd-looking log hives in large, hollowed-out trees. When the hives are removed from the trees for cultivation, they are called jobones. The bees have small colonies and don't form honeycombs.